Last for shoemaking



Feb. 10, 19452.

A. SBICCA LAST FOR SHOEMAKING Filed April 27, 1940 INVENTOR Art/earJz'cca ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 10, 1942 UNHTXD {S T 2 Claims.

My invention relates to shoemaking.

The object of my invention is to provide a last, the use of which willenable shoemakers to make shoes which will fit the feet of a wearer in amore perfect manner.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a last for use inmaking womens shoes of the type known as opera pump Oxfords, etc., bymeans of which the shoes may be made to fit more perfectly around theheel of the wearer and to prevent gaping at the waistline of the shoesin the act of Walking.

A further object is to provide lasts for the purpose stated which may bemade at less cost than heretofore.

A further object is to provide a last upon which a shoe upper may beplaced in such a manner as to permit it to be held without the use oftacks, and movable relative to the last prior to affixing the sole tothe lower margins of the upper, and also to space the upper edges of theupper at a predetermined distance apart to insure a close fit on thefoot of a wearer and eliminate a gaping action in the act of walking.

A further object is to provide an articulated last by means of which ashoe having an exceptionally long vamp may be removed from the lastwithout danger of injury to the shoe in the act of removal.

At the present time lasts are used which extend higher than the uppersmounted thereon in the process of making the type of shoes referred toand therefore the upper side rim portions of the shoes are separatedfrom each other a distance corresponding to the width of the last alongthe line of the rim.

By the use of the last now to be described, the uppers may be closelydrawn together and fitted over the last, as illustrated, and thereafterdrawn firmly into form and the soles attached in the usual manner ofmaking such shoes.

Referring to the drawing which forms a part of the specification:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a last formed in accordance with myinvention and shown as when made in a single piece of wood.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a last, shown partly in section todisclose the construction of the new last when made in two partsconnected in articulated relation.

Fig. 3 is a plan View showing a shoe upper placed on a last, the form ofthe last being illustrated in dotted lines.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an upper mounted on a last, andillustrating the closeness of the top edge portions of the upperadjacent the heel, the last being indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View of the construction shown in Fig. 2 online 5-5 thereof.

l9 indicates the body of the last, which is usually made of wood, andII) the tubular thimble which fits over a pintle support for the last inthe usual manner.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, I prefer to make the top of the last of narrowwidth and the sides curved so that the upper will conform to the shapeof the last and embrace the foot in such a manner as to prevent gapingof the shoe when worn; also to prevent the sides of the heel of thewearer from slipping in the shoe, even though the heel be exceptionallynarrow in width.

It will be seen that the last does not extend above the means used forholding the upper edges of the upper in connected relation. and that theupper edges of the upper are held in connected relation by sewing Hwhich extends thru the extended edge portions of the lining 2 to holdthem closely together, or at a predetermined spaced distance whereby thefinished shoe will present the edge portions in the required spacedrelation.

The dotted lines l3l'3 respectively, shown in Fig. 3, indicate the widthof the last between them, but this width may vary to provide shoes theupper edges of which may be of any desired form and spaced to provide aproper fit to the foot of a wearer, as will be readily understood bythose skilled in this art.

Where a shoe is to be made comprising an exceptionally long vamp, Iprefer to make the last in two portions held in articulated relation asillustrated in Fig. 2.

In making the articulated last, a slot I4 is formed in the waist portionof the last, and a slot 15 in the heel portion, both slots being narrowand located at one side of the median line thru the length of the last.

A link I6 is hinged at I! and [8 on transversely extending pins l9, andthe last is divided on the oblique line 20, thus permitting the forwardportion of the last to be lifted and swung a predetermined distance fromunder the vamp of a shoe and thereafter the heel portion of the lastlifted by means of the latch 2!, from the shoe.

The latch 2! is attached in hinged relation with the forward end of thelast and extends over a transversely extending pin 22 in hooked relationas illustrated.

The latch 2| also serves as a handle to lift the last from the shoe.

It will be understood that the adjacent edges of the upper are sewn orotherwise connected together prior to being placed on the last, and thatthereafter the sole is attached to the upper while on the last in theusual manner.

It will be seen that the last is formed to provide a substantiallystraight long top portion which extends from the heel to the vamp, butthe top may be curved to conform to the design of the rim portion of thepump if said rim is to have a curved form instead of substantiallystraight side edges.

The last permits the upper to be moved or shifted in the act of lastingto insure the opposite side rims to be of equal height when the shoe isfinished.

The form of the last also permits both sides of the upper to be visibleat one time, when viewed from the top, and adjusted in perfect positionin the act of lasting, without the necessity of measuring to insureequal heights.

In shoe manufacturing a great number of lasts are required that areduplicates of each other, and the saving effected in the cost of turningthe lasts and also the saving of material, result in a substantialsaving in the cost of making, also that the space required for storageis reduced, as also the weight of the last.

To those skilled in the art of shoe manufacturing the above disclosureof the invention will be clear and the advantages thereof wellunderstood.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new:

1. A last for making shoes of the pump type, having an upwardlyextending long narrow straight top at the waist portion, atapproximately the height of the upper edge of a shoe of conventionalpump type and of approximately the length of the upper edge of such ashoe; whereby said last is adapted to support the adjacent sides of suchan' upper when connected together along a substantial portion of theirupper edges and placed thereon in the act of lasting a shoe.

2. A last for making shoes of the pump type,

having opposite side walls converging near the top to form an upwardlyextending long low wall of narrow cross section and having a narrow flattop surface to support adjacent edges of a shoe upper of conventionalpump type secured together substantially throughout the length of saidedges, extending longitudinally thereof from the vamp to the heelportion of the last, and of a height approximately that of such a shoeupper, substantially thruout its length.

ARTHUR SBICCA'.

